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Canberra Today 12°/15° | Saturday, March 30, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

The ACT Road Safety Fund roars into life

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SHANE Rattenbury has announced a new ACT Road Safety Fund to deliver road safety initiatives in the ACT.

“The Government wants to ensure it builds on the valuable contribution the Trust made in the ACT and maintain a road safety fund that will allow us to advance and improve road safety across the ACT,” Shane said.

“The purpose of the ACT Road Safety fund will be to support projects and key initiatives related to road safety research, education and road trauma prevention, in support of the Government’s identified road safety strategy.

“The fund will be supported by an appointed Advisory Board, which will provide advice about the application of the new fund, including the allocation of grant funding for road safety initiatives aimed at benefiting the ACT community.

“The Board will consist of a combination of independent road safety experts, representatives from the ACT CTP insurers and road user representative groups, as well as ACT Government.”

The NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust – an arrangement between the ACT Government and NRMA Insurance – is ceasing as a result of additional Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurers entering the ACT CTP market and the new fund will come in to place on the 1st of July 2015.

Legislation will be introduced into the Legislative Assembly to repeal the NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust Act 1992. Following the repeal of the Act, the Trust will continue to operate in accordance with its existing Deed of Trust – for the purpose of managing funded projects and expending any residual Trust funds.

The road safety contribution levied by the Government on ACT vehicle registration will also increase and be redirected to the new road safety fund.

“Since 1998 motorists have been making a contribution to the NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust when paying their ACT motor vehicle registration which was set at $2 in 2003,” Shane said.

“For vehicle registrations commencing on or after 1 July, the contribution will be increased to $2.50.

“This will ensure the new road safety fund has sufficient resourcing for an annual grants program and other key road safety initiatives.”

The initial round of ACT Road Safety Fund grant applications will be open in the first half of next year and will invite applications for funding from community groups, road safety and road user interest groups, universities, government agencies and other groups for initiatives that support the advancement of road safety in the ACT.

“In the past the NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust has supported initiatives such as the Dorothy Sales Cottages, so that the National Brain Injury Foundation could build a prolonged care facility in Hughes for young people with an acquired brain injury, as well as the ACT’s graduated licensing program Road Ready,” Mr Rattenbury said.

“The new ACT Road Safety Fund will continue to support valuable programs such as these.”

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